Primary Level School of the Year
Huntingdon Primary School
191 Cox Street
Huntingdon, TN 38344
(731) 986-3091
www.huntingdonschools.org
Project Title: We All NEED Energy!
Project Adviser: Connie Bond
Student Directors: Wyatt Stokes and Mary Glenys Espey

The Wiser Miser Energy Team consisted of ten third grade students.  We enjoyed exploring a variety of
energy sources, teaching others about energy conservation, and learning to be leaders in our school and
community.  We all NEED energy!

We worked hard and had a fun and educational year.  We went on six energy related tours, held after
school meetings, learned work and environmental ethics, and participated in NEED activities.  Our team raised
more than $6,700 with projects that included collecting and recycling aluminum cans, paper, plastic, cardboard,
used cell phones, and ink and laser cartridges.  We donated $300 to PROJECT HELP, which provides help to
needy families who can’t pay their electric bills.  We will also purchase an energy efficient water heater and CFL
light bulbs valued at over $350 for the Habitat House built in May 2008.

Our team received $500 grants from Wal-Mart and the 3 Star Community program.  By participating in the
3-Star Community program, our school will receive a $1,500 ENERGY STAR grant.  We also received matching
grant funding from Huntingdon Recycling Center.  We had fourteen energy speakers, celebrated America
Recycles Day, and promoted ENERGY STAR’s Change a Light, Change the World campaign.

Elementary Level School of the Year
A.K. Suter Elementary School
501 E Pickens Avenue
Pensacola, FL 32503
(850) 595-6810
http://old.escambia.k12.fl.us/schscnts/sute/index.htm
Project Title: Energy Savers Spread the Word
Project Adviser: Deborah Pate
Student Directors: Julie Grissett and Jake McDaniel

This has been an energetic year for our Suter Energy Savers! We studied energy conservation and spread the
word everywhere we could.  Although we are a small school, we knew that we could make a huge difference by
using the NEED program to achieve our goals. 

This year we focused on solar energy. We used energy from the hot Florida sun to make solar thermometers
and solar hotspots. Our favorite solar activity was making s’mores in our solar ovens. They were warm and gooey! 

We studied the environment and learned about recycling. We took a field trip to the landfill to learn how to
recycle, and then we started our own recycling program. We involved our community in our projects and wrote
our governor about energy conservation. 

We also teamed up with five Starbucks to educate our community about CFLs. We had an energy booth at
our carnival, and we decorated grocery bags for a local business.  We ended the year with a visit from
Congressman Jeff Miller. We told him about the NEED Project and our energy projects. We even lobbied for
energy reform.  Wow! What a full year we’ve had! We certainly accomplished our goal to ‘Spread the Word’.

Junior Level School of the Year
St. Isidore School
3821 20th Street
Columbus, NE 68601
(402) 564-2604
Project Title: St. Isidore NEED Group
Project Adviser: Mary Lou Green
Student Directors: Allison Bos, Carly Burkhardt, Nicole Pauley, and Amy Price
 
Promoting the increased use of CFLs in our community has continued as an important part of our education. 
On October 3, 2007, we collected over 800 pledges at the local Hy-Vee, Wal-Mart, Super Saver, and Ace
Hardware stores. The Energyfest sponsored by the Nebraska Public Power District also yielded many pledges. 
Our staff, students, and parents signed pledges and an update from Senator Stuthman informed us that the
Capitol’s bulb replacement with CFLs is on schedule. The annual shrimp peel again featured placemats with
CFL pledges to be signed. 

As an intermediate school, one of our goals was to promote energy education K-12. Our students contacted
Scotus High School and checked with Mrs. Lahm regarding her NEED goals for this year. Peer teaching the
NEED Energy Carnival, presenting plays, designing teachers’ lessons, and listening to community energy
speakers’ presentations were part of our work. 

Energy Fairs held by the kindergarten, fifth grade, and our own classes were wonderful culminating
activities. Cleaning local areas designated by KEEP Columbus Beautiful, holding monthly paper drives, and
writing radio blurbs and local newspaper articles all promoted the NEED goals. Developing energy education in our
K-12 school system, we believe, will insure that we will live the NEED message for a lifetime. 

Senior Level School of the Year
Fayette Academy
15090 Highway 64
Somerville, TN 38068
(901) 465-3241
Project Title: Lighting the Future
Project Adviser: Donna Burrus
Student Directors: Savannah Pierski and Sheila Kelley

Our region, the southeast, consumes more energy than any other part of the United States and has the poorest
air quality.  In order to make a difference, the Ecology Club set goals.  We participated in many events,
distributing energy information and 2700 CFL light bulbs, saving over one million pounds of CO2 and conserving
75 percent more energy.  Money to purchase these bulbs came from fundraisers, grants and donations. 

We made major progress toward reaching our goals, establishing a recycling program, distributing CFL light
bulbs, creating awareness by reaching 600,000 newspaper readers, establishing the school’s first energy
policy, networking with local and state legislators, reducing overall energy consumption, and establishing a
high school club and elementary mentoring program.

We agree with the statement that the changes that are needed are not just a matter of tinkering at the edges,
and they will not come if we simply listen to what we want to hear.  All of us will be called upon to make
some sacrifices.  None of us will be exempt from responsibility.  We will have to challenge ourselves to be
better stewards of the land, acknowledge the deep-sided biases against change that still reside in our
own communities and marshal the will to break their grip.